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America's coolest water parks

Summer is here and with it comes trips to amusement and water parks all over the country.

Take a look at America's coolest water parks, according to Forbes magazine.

Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels, Texas. One of four parks in the Schlitterbahn collection, this 70-acre favorite rises to the top because of the innovative section it unveiled in late 2011, which includes “the World’s Longest Waterpark Ride” and offers 3,600 feet of waves, rapids and waterfalls for tubers.

Splashin' Safari & Holiday World, Santa Claus, Indiana. This two-in-one park just unveiled the world’s longest waterslide—the Mammoth, which uses special “hydromagnetic” technology to whisk riders both up and down in circular, six-person rafts.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Orlando, Florida. This is most-visited water park in the world with more than 2 million guests a year (according to 2010 statistics of the Themed Entertainment Association) is this Disney World water park (which joins one other at Disney World, Blizzard Beach, with just under 2 million visitors a year).

Standout features at Typhoon Lagoon include Surf Pool, the country’s largest wave pool, churning out six-foot waves in an area the size of two football fields.

Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Billing itself as “America’s Largest Waterpark,” this 70-acre destination has a whopping 51 water slides, including the new Quadzilla, a four-lane head-first mat racer.

Aquatica: Sea World's Water Park, Orlando, Florida. This park is where you’ll find 80,000 square feet of man-made sandy beaches, 1,500-foot-long rapids and 38 slides—including the 250 feet of clear, underwater tube slides that zip you through a dolphin-stocked aquarium.

Six Flags' White Water, Atlanta, Georgia. ne of many Six Flags water parks across the nation, this standout offers 50 rides, including the 9-story Cliffhanger (pictured), one of the tallest free-fall slides in the world.

Water World, Denver, Colorado. Calling itself “America’s Biggest. America’s Best,” this 64-acre, 49-ride park features rides like Voyage to the Center of the Earth, a raft ride that takes you through a creepy, pitch-dark stretch filled with growling prehistoric creatures.

Wet 'n Wild, Orlando, Florida. The first "official" water park ever created, according to the World Waterpark Association, this park has near-vertical speed slides and tube adventures, plus a couple of distinctive claims to fame, including a unique area called the Wake Zone.